Knee Injury in Horine, MO

Knee Injury in Horine, MO. Suffering a knee injury can wreak havoc on your everyday life, and often persists with long-term symptoms. There is nobody in Horine, MO who is completely immune to the threat of a knee injury. People of all ages, genders, and activity levels can experience a knee injury. However, knee injuries are most commonly caused by advanced age, exposure to repetitive motions, and sudden movement or trauma that can happen in accidents and when engaging in physical activities.

Are you experiencing knee-related symptoms like pain, swelling, or buckling? You may have a knee injury, whether or not you can identify a specific moment of trauma that could explain the injury. For your swift and successful recovery, contact the movement experts at Axes Physical Therapy for help with your knee injury in the Horine, MO area. Our team of physical and occupational therapists will guide you in a recovery plan that leaves you stronger and healthier than ever before.

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What Do I Need to Know About Knee Injuries?

The knee earns the title of the largest human joint and is pivotal to executing so many of the actions, motions, and functions that distinguish us from other animals, making it possible for us to accomplishing the complex tasks we use every day to go about our lives. This body part consists of four types of structures, any of which are susceptible to injury. The knee contains bones, cartilage, ligaments, and tendons.

There are multiple bones that make up the knee, including the tibia, femur, and patella. These three bones are bound together by groups of muscles, which are connected together by tendons and ligaments, that make it possible for us to move our legs. In addition to connecting bones within the joint together, the ligaments also create stability and limit movement in certain directions. Within the joint, the end of each bone is capped by a layer of cartilage — essentially a cushion that protects the hard bones from one another and works as a shock absorber when movement or weight put pressure on the joint.

All the different components of the knee’s anatomy, whether soft tissue or bone, are essential to the knee’s ability to function as a strong and healthy joint, and damage to any one or more of these areas can lead to a knee injury. If you or a family member have recently experienced any kind of trauma to your knee or surrounding area or have a chronic condition that could cause damage to the knee, speak with Axes Physical Therapy to learn about your knee injury treatment options in Horine, MO today or book an appointment online now.

Knee Injury Statistics in in Horine, MO and the US

The human knee is a sophisticated part of the human anatomy — an intricately designed joint that makes it possible for us to execute tasks and movements that are unique to humans. But this complex joint is vulnerable to a variety of injuries. In fact, knee injuries are the most common of all sports injuries, making up 41 percent of all sports injuries. But sports injuries make up only one category of knee injury that people in Horine, MO and throughout the US commonly experience. Though physical activity is the more popular cause of knee injuries in young people, older adults more often get knee injuries after falling or due to the development of a chronic condition like osteoarthritis.

Check out these fast knee injury facts and statistics from Society for Academic Emergency Medicine:

Adolescents and young adults (patients ranging in age from 15 years old to their late 20’s) are the most likely to experience a knee injury
Men experience knee injuries far more often than women, making up 68% of all knee injury sufferers
Nearly half (49.5%) of all knee injuries occur in sports accidents
Among sports-related knee injuries, the sports activities most likely to lead to injury are soccer and skiing, each responsible for over a quarter of all sports knee injuries
Other top causes of knee injuries are related to home structures at 30.2% and home furnishings at 13.6%
The overwhelmingly most common knee injury diagnoses are strains and sprains at 42.1%; next are contusions and abrasions at 27.1% and cuts and puncture wounds at 10.5%

Common Types of Knee Injuries in Horine, MO

Sprains and Strains. When you sprain or strain your knee, a muscle or ligament within the joint is damaged. Injuries of this nature are caused by sudden force to the knee or a sudden or unintended motion of the knee (for example, suddenly stopping to change directions or twisting).
Fractures. A fracture describes a broken bone, and these kinds of injuries range in severity from a small, partial crack like a hairline fracture to something much more devastating such as a comminuted fracture when a bone shatters into multiple pieces. Even the patella, the bone commonly known as the kneecap, can be fractured during a knee injury, especially in car accidents, hard falls against solid objects, assaults and other catastrophic events.
Cartilage or Ligament Tears. Blows to the knee from different directions can lead to a number of different knee injuries involving ligaments surrounding the joint. Sudden changes in direction such as twisting and pivoting motions can also cause a tear to the meniscus — the cartilage padding the knee where the bones meet — and/or anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear injuries. You can learn more about our Horine, MO physical therapy services for ACL tears near you.
Arthritis. Many different types of arthritis exist and each patient’s experience of the condition is their own. However, if you suffer from arthritis or a similar condition and have symptoms of a knee injury like pain and limited mobility, your arthritis may be causing a knee injury and can even lead to the potential development of bone spurs. Arthritis can result in rapid and irreparable degeneration of the cartilage and in your knee joint.
Tendonitis and Other Forms of Inflammation. Tendons in the knee area can become inflamed through overuse or repeated stress, common in patients who frequently perform running, jumping, or cycling activities. A common form of tendonitis in the knee is jumper’s knee because of the strain to the tendon that occurs as a result of the repeated force of hitting the ground after jumping.

Knee Injury Risk Factors in Horine, MO

Excessive weight. Being overweight or obese increases stress on your knees and most other joints in the body, even during ordinary activities such as walking or going up and down stairs. Being at an unhealthy excessive weight is also a risk factor for developing osteoarthritis by accelerating the breakdown of joint cartilage.
Muscle or bone weakness or stiffness. A lack of strength and flexibility can increase the risk of knee injuries. Strong muscles help stabilize and protect your joints, and adequate muscle flexibility can help you reach full range of motion.
Specific activities and occupations. Some sports put more strain on your knees than do others. Downhill skiing with its rigid ski boots and harsh landings, the near constant and rapid change of direction in basketball, and the relentless pounding your knees take when you run or jog all involve a risk of knee injury in Horine, MO. Jobs that require repetitive stress on the knees like installation or farming put you at an increased risk as well.
History of previous injury. Being injured in the past puts you at a higher risk of injuring your knee again.
Advanced age. As our bodies age, our tissues start to wear down. The knee is no exception. The protective cartilage cushioning the bones in your knee can wear thin, and conditions associated with advanced age like osteoporosis leave your bones weak, making you.

Do I Need Knee Injury Treatment in Horine, MO?

As with any medical condition or injury, each patient is different and you should always consult with a licensed and practiced healthcare professional any time you experience a condition such as a knee injury that affects your ability to function normally or live comfortably. After all, if there was a treatment solution that could treat your chronic pain and restore your mobility in a joint as important as the knee, wouldn’t you try it?

While each injury and patient is different, there are certain times that immediate medical care is necessary. After suffering an acute knee injury, noticeable swelling is a warning sign that you need emergency medical attention. According to Yale Medicine, swelling after a knee injury is a hallmark sign that the injury is serious and medical care is warranted. Immediate, extensive swelling that occurs in the three to four hours after an instance of acute trauma to the knee is typically a sign that blood is trapped in the joint.

What To Do After a Knee Injury in Horine, MO

When in doubt, err on the side of caution and seek out medical care right away after you notice a potential knee injury. Especially in the case of an acute or sudden injury, the commonly known RICE method can help mitigate the damage and support your knee injury recovery with a swift response to the trauma.

The RICE method refers to:

Rest. If you experience pain or suspect a knee injury, do not force any activity or introduce any additional undue stress to the joint. If possible, avoid putting weight on the affected knee and minimize movement.
Ice. The application of ice or a cold compress after an injury like a knee injury can help temporarily ease the pain and reduce swelling. When using ice on an injury, do not apply the ice directly on bare skin and remember to follow an alternating schedule of 20 minutes on and 20 minutes off.
Compression. It may be helpful to wrap the injured knee with a soft, elastic bandage or ace wrap. Take care not to wrap the area so tight that it causes pain or cuts off blood and oxygen circulation to the injured area.
Elevate. During the initial resting time after the occurrence of your knee injury, you can use pillows, a stool, or another prop or structure to help keep your injured knee elevated higher than your heart. This elevation can stimulate reparative blood flow to the injury, reduce pressure and throbbing, and encourage the removal of waste from the area.

Knee Injury Physical Therapy in Horine, MO

When you come to Axes Physical Therapy for knee injury treatment near you in the Horine, MO area, you will be assigned a dedicated physical therapist who will lead your knee injury recovery by administering a custom physical therapy treatment plan in Horine, MO. With years of clinical experience guiding knee injury patients back to optimal performance, your physical therapist will draw upon their extensive education and the most current evidence-based practices to treat the cause of your Horine, MO knee injury at the source, successfully returning you to all the activities you love so you can go about your regular life at home, at work, and in your personal time.

When you visit Axes near Horine, MO for your first appointment after a suspected knee injury, your physical therapist will conduct a full injury screening and evaluation of your condition. From ensuring that your physical therapist is operating with a complete picture of your condition and overall health to consistently practicing the prescribed treatments and exercises, you are a critical piece in your knee injury treatment puzzle. It is critical that you are an active participant in your physical therapy treatment of your knee injury.

In order to eliminate pain and other symptoms, heal the damaged tissue, and return you to optimal physical performance, your physical therapy treatment may involve a variety of treatment modalities to target the source of your knee injury.

Stretches and exercises
Training to correct posture, gait, or other movement technique
Heat and ice applications
Ultrasound
Electric stimulation
Kinesiology taping
Soft tissue massages or knee joint mobilization

The experts in movement health and the musculoskeletal system at Axes Physical Therapy in the Horine, MO area have successfully treated hundreds of patients with pain, injuries, and chronic conditions and have restored their ability to do the activities they value. Learn more about our treatment capabilities and the types of conditions we specialize in for patients near Horine, MO, such as:

Recover from your Knee Injury in Horine, MO Now

If you recently experienced a knee injury while being active or are suffering from symptoms of any type of knee injury, it is important to consult a trustworthy healthcare professional right away. As musculoskeletal specialists with expertise in movement and the human body, the physical therapists of Axes Physical Therapy in Horine, MO will guide you in your recovery by creating a personalized treatment plan based on the latest proven practices in movement health. Contact our Horine, MO treatment professionals or find our facility that is most convenient for you to take the first step toward healing and relief from your knee injury.